New Zealand is contributing another $1 million to emergency relief efforts following the tsunami in Samoa and Tonga.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully says the emergency response is now well-advanced, and the Samoan Government is doing a good job in coordinating relief. He says virtually all of New Zealand's initial $1 million contribution has been committed, so a further top-up is needed.
Mr McCully says communities throughout New Zealand have responded to the disaster with great generosity. Oxfam has received $140,000 in donations as it aims to raise $250,000. There are details on the aid organisation's website - www.oxfam.org.nzA formal identification is to be carried out in Samoa on two bodies believed to be those of Waikato sisters. Hamilton school teacher Rebecca Martin and Matamata lifeguard Petria Martin were on holiday in Lalomanu when the Tsunami struck on Wednesday. A body believed to be Petria's was found on Wednesday near the resort where the two were staying. A body believed to be Rebecca's was found on Friday.
Our newsroom has confirmed the women's parents are in Apia today to help with identification. They are expected to speak at a media conference tomorrow.Five New Zealanders have now been confirmed dead - three adults and two young children. Another child remains unaccounted for.
A league personality is upset there will be a mass burial in Samoa. Peter Ropati is flying to Samoa on Wednesday with his younger brother Romi. Their family village of Lalomanu was flattened in Wednesday's tsunami. Mr Ropati says the funerals add to the loss of loved ones and property people are already having to deal with, and a mass grave just compounds their grief. But he recognises Samoa does not have the capacity to deal with embalming and holding so many bodies for long periods of time.There are now 105 New Zealand Defence Force personnel in Samoa, including six Navy divers. The divers are working to restore the submarine water main to Manono Island and assess the power cable.
Army personnel from Linton are on standby to sail on HMNZS Canterbury this week should they be required to assist.
